WHY:
Praised by some of the most creative magazines and ad agencies today, Geof Kern approaches photography with a distinct vision. "I began my career in the early 80's when art and commercial photography were two different worlds entirely. Maybe because I didn't know any better, I just started photographing what I wanted and people got excited about it. Word spread... I became known as a "surrealist" because there was no other word to describe what I was doing," says Kern.

On his work, Brad Moore states, "These photographs were shot in modest, well-worn, suburban cities in central and inland Southern California. Built in the '50s and '60s, these cities provided a new home and future to a post-war population. While Southern California's coastal cities flourish, cities in these inland counties struggle. Future prosperity and civic health seem to come primarily from growing ethnic populations, which are reviving and recreating these cities for their communities."